Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuelan SG Rafael Guevara (194-F-79) was interviewed via phone by Latinbasket.com Venezuela and expressed that he feels great about having been traded from Bucaneros de La Guaira to Guaros de Lara for SF Jackson Zapata (198-F-85), a move that allows him to play again in a team that he briefly belonged to back in 2008.

Guevara, a 33-year old 1.94m tall former member of Venezuela's Senior NT, played 14 games for Guaros back then after arriving in a trade from Marinos de Anzoategui, but asked to go back to his previous team, due to differences with the ownership and lack of proper finantial conditions.

"I'm happy because, despites what happened back in 2008, I didn't take anything personal. What I was getting from Marinos back then, I wasn't getting it with the old management of Guaros and that's why I left the team", said Guevara, nicknamed "La Tormenta" or "The Storm".

"As far as the fans and the city are concerned, I never had any complains. It was quite the opposite, because a city like that deserves to have a good team, because its people really gives it all out there for the team. That's why I'm glad I have this new opportunity", he added.

He also acknowledged that he was very grateful to owners Jorge Hernandez and Luis Sojo and GM Tomas Morris. "This is a compromise and a responsibility not only for them, but for us, the players. We need to stay humble and take the motivation that we're given".

He said he talked to PG Heissler Guillent (186-PG-86) after he learned that he was traded to the team and said that he's happy to play with him again. In Tiburones de Vargas, his team in Liga Nacional (LNB), Guevara is playing with another recent acquisition of Guaros, Robert Yriarte (201-F-89), who came from Marinos de Anzoategui alongside SF Carlos Morris (194-G-76) in exchange for SG Francisco Sanabria (190-G-77).

"Yriarte is also happy because the moves made were made with respect and we appreciate it. He hasn't played that much in LPB, but he's got a great future and there aren't many players with his height and talent in the league. In Guaros, he'll learn a lot from the American coach (Scott Fields) and Jack Michael Martinez (201-F-81)", explained Guevara.

Guevara thinks that, with the team that has been put together, there are "no excuses" for Guaros to be able to fight for a championship. He also expects the fans of Barquisimeto to "give me an opportunity and support me, because the last time I played there, I never had any problems with the fans. Everything else is just part of the past. I learned a lot from it and I'm now a more mature player and human being. I have been acquired in my best moment and won't have any problems to give it all out there for this team".

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Liga Nacional de Baloncesto's Second Division (LNB II) in its 2016 edition ended on a high note, as Comuna Cementerio was able to lift the trophy in an exciting Finals series, taking down Industriales de Guarenas, 3-2, to qualify for the 2017 edition of Venezuela's LNB I. Latinbasket.com Venezuela brings you everything you need to know about the LNB II 2016 Finals The Finals Comuna El Cementario defeats Industriales de Guarenas, 3-1 Game 1 Nov 26 - Comuna 66... [read more]

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Liga Nacional de Baloncesto's Second Division (LNB II) in its 2016 edition ended on a high note, as Comuna Cementerio was able to lift the trophy in an exciting Finals series, taking down Industriales de Guarenas, 3-2, to qualify for the 2017 edition of Venezuela's LNB I.

Latinbasket.com Venezuela brings you everything you need to know about the LNB II 2016 Finals

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuela's Liga Nacional de Baloncesto (LNB) in its 2016 Third Division season finished its Semifinals stage and, after very hard fought series, Buffalos de Tucupita and Universitarios de Caripito advanced to the Finals, by taking down Anaco Sport Club and Bufalos de Monagas, respectively. Latinbasket.com Venezuela brings you everything you need to know about the LNB III 2016 Semifinals: Buffalos de Tucupita-Anaco Sport Club (Buffalos win series, 3-1) Game 1... [read more]

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuela's Liga Nacional de Baloncesto (LNB) in its 2016 Third Division season finished its Semifinals stage and, after very hard fought series, Buffalos de Tucupita and Universitarios de Caripito advanced to the Finals, by taking down Anaco Sport Club and Bufalos de Monagas, respectively.

Latinbasket.com Venezuela brings you everything you need to know about the LNB III 2016 Semifinals:

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuelan Jorge Arrieta was signed by Guaros de Lara as its new head coach for the upcoming season of Liga Profesional de Baloncesto (LPB) and the team's participation in the FIBA Americas League as defending champions. Arrieta will work for the organization for third time in his career, as he was the head coach back in the 2011 season (13-30) and then came back as first assistant coach in the LPB (2015) and head coach for the team's first ever LNB title in 201... [read more]

Barquisimeto, Venezuela.- Venezuelan Jorge Arrieta was signed by Guaros de Lara as its new head coach for the upcoming season of Liga Profesional de Baloncesto (LPB) and the team's participation in the FIBA Americas League as defending champions.

Arrieta will work for the organization for third time in his career, as he was the head coach back in the 2011 season (13-30) and then came back as first assistant coach in the LPB (2015) and head coach for the team's first ever LNB title in 2014 (as Columbus 99, an affiliate team name).

Arrieta is also a three-time LPB champion (2003, 2004, 2012) as head coach of Marinos de Anzoategui and has experience in leagues of Mexico and the Dominican Republic. He was also the head coach of Venezuela's B Senior National Team in the 2015 Borislav Stankovic Cup in China.

He'll be the team's first Venezuelan head coach since the acquisition of the franchise by Jorge Hernandez, as both Oscar Silva (2012) and Daniel Seoane (2016) were only interim head coaches.

"It's an honor to be in the top organization of the moment in Venezuela with such a group of important players", said Arrieta through a team statement. "It's a personal satisfaction because very important names were taken into consideration for this position and it gives me back the opportunity to win championships in Venezuela".

"I gotta have a meeting with the team's main board. We'll have to make some decisions but we know we need help in the 1, 2 and 3 positions, because as far as 4 or 5, we're covered with 4 pillars that are doing their task very well", said Arrieta about the roster structure and the possible hiring of foreign players.

The fact that the team could play the FIBA Americas League without an ongoing national league as backup, he said that the team will lack rythm inevitably even though Guaros "was active in the South American League and hasn't stopped all year as a team, which is a plus for us".

Arrieta replaces Ivan Deniz (agency: Pro Sports ) after only 7 international games as head coach, including a win in the 2016 FIBA Intercontinental Cup, played in Germany back in September. Deniz had replaced Argentinian Nestor Garcia , who was close to coming back but was later hired by Quimsa in his country's LNB.

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